mEATquality (English)

New Video: Agrifood By‑Products in Sustainable Pig Production
mEATquality Project
Consumers increasingly value sustainably produced pork - creating new opportunities for more circular pig production. Our new video shows how agrifood by‑products can be successfully integrated into pig diets, helping reduce waste, lower feed costs, and improve resource efficiency.
Within mEATquality, we explore how innovative feeding strategies support sustainability without compromising meat quality - adding value through a stronger sustainability profile and greater consumer trust.

Collaboration for Better Animal Welfare and Meat Quality!

We’re excited to announce that two EU-funded projects – mEATquality and WelFarmers – have joined forces to strengthen communication and share best practices across Europe.

Together, we aim to promote extensive husbandry practices, improve pig welfare, enhance meat quality, and build consumer trust, while supporting sustainable farming and the EU Farm to Fork strategy.

Stay tuned for updates as we work hand in hand to make a lasting impact!

New video with Spanish subtitles!
🎥 “Enriquecimiento ambiental para mejorar el bienestar porcino en la ganadería ecológica” – video con subtítulos en castellano
🌿 En este video abordamos cómo integrar espacios al aire libre y elementos naturales en las instalaciones.

Have you visited our Scientific Publications page recently?
Explore the latest EAAP 2025 materials!

✅ Effects of quantity and quality of space on stress indicators in growing-finishing pigs
✅ Meat quality traits of pigs housed with increasing space availability
✅ Lower stocking density in pigs: welfare, growth rate, and meat quality
These studies highlight how space and stocking density influence animal welfare, stress physiology, and pork quality.

🐖 Enhancing Pig Welfare Through Environmental Enrichment
Discover how organic farming practices can naturally support better pig welfare in our latest video from the mEATquality project.
In organic husbandry, pigs are encouraged to express their natural behaviors - rooting, grazing, and wallowing - which are essential for their well-being. Environmental enrichment isn’t just a recommendation; it’s a requirement under organic standards.
🌿 This video highlights practical and cost-effective enrichment strategies, from outdoor pens to agroforestry systems, showing how farmers can meet pigs’ needs while maintaining productivity and sustainability.

🔍 Understanding Labeling: A Key to Transparency in Pig Husbandry Practices
As consumer demand grows for transparency, sustainability, and animal welfare, the role of labeling becomes increasingly strategic for the pork industry. Labels are not just marketing tools — they are gateways to trust, differentiation, and value creation.
The mEATquality project explores how husbandry practices - from conventional indoor systems to extensive organic farming - are reflected in pork product labels.

🎬 New Educational Videos for Pig Farmers

The mEATquality releases animated videos on extensive husbandry practices that enhance animal welfare and sustainability.

“Environmental enrichments to improve pig welfare in conventional husbandry” shows how simple, cost-effective enrichments can significantly improve pig welfare in conventional indoor farming.

📺 Watch the video and subscribe for more resources!

🔬 New study by mEATquality!
Adding linseed, apple pomace & milk thistle (LAM) to pig diets:
✅ Improves pork fatty acid profile (more omega-3, better n-6/n-3 ratio)
✅ Enhances oxidative stability & meat tenderness
✅ Boosts antioxidant activity, lowers inflammation
✅ No impact on growth performance
👉 Healthier pigs, better meat quality!

mEATquality presented the latest developments of our Sustainability App for pigs and poultry farmers in a joint webinar "Connecting the Fork to the Farm: Digital Tools Empowering Food Choices"

The full recording of the joint webinar is now available to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9yNglJ3ZrY&t=219s

Exciting News! 🚨

The Practical Abstracts on Swine Husbandry Practices are now available in Dutch!

Leer meer over duurzame praktijken voor de varkenshouderij:
- Omgevingsverrijking ter verbetering van het welzijn van varkens
- Bijproducten van de agrovoedingsindustrie en functionele additieven voor varkensvoer
- Varkensrassen van inheemse oorsprong met buitenuitloop
- Varkensgenetica voor duurzame en hoogwaardig varkensvlees
- Vergroot de hokruimte om de groei en het welzijn van varkens te verbeteren

🚨 New Release from mEATquality!
We’re excited to share our latest Practice Abstract:
"Reducing space density to improve pig growth and welfare."
Less crowding = better welfare and stronger growth.
This research highlights how smarter space management can lead to healthier pigs and higher-quality meat — a win for farmers, animals, and consumers.
🔍 Dive into the findings and help us shape the future of sustainable pig farming: https://meatquality.eu/training-materials/

Update from International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST 2025 – Girona)

mEATquality project presented an insightful poster at ICoMST 2025 – Girona.

What intrinsic markers can verify meat origin and welfare-related production practices?

"Postmortem muscle proteomics reveals genetics and environmental enrichment effects: Implications for meat authentication" is now available on our website!

https://meatquality.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ICoMST_2025_Seren-Yigitturk.pdf

Environmental enrichment to improve pig welfare. A Practice Abstract by the mEATquality project highlights that the right type, amount, and frequency of renewal of environmental enrichment can significantly improve pig welfare. Find the full Practice Abstract here: https://meatquality.eu/training-materials/

mEATquality at EMAC 2025
At the 54th EMAC Conference in Madrid, the mEATquality project hosted a well-attended session on consumer preferences for sustainable meat.
We shared insights from three consumer studies on:
🔗 Blockchain and trust
🛒 Visual cues at point-of-sale
👅 How information affects taste perception
The session sparked a great discussion on the ethics of promoting “better” meat vs. reducing consumption.
📌 Learn more about this event: https://meatquality.eu/media/

🌿 At the Agro-Livestock Fair of Valle de los Pedroches, we proudly presented the latest developments from the EU-funded #mEATquality project — advancing sustainability, animal welfare, and meat quality in European pig farming.
🎤 During our session, “mEATquality Project: Meat Quality, Sustainability & Animal Welfare in European Extensive Pig Farming”, we discussed powerful tools like the Sustainability Calculator and Life Cycle Analysis.
📊 Key Insight: Iberian acorn-fed pigs raised in the dehesa ecosystem not only deliver exceptional meat quality — they also contribute to a carbon-negative

🌟 Research Highlight 🌟
Our mEATquality team in Poland, featuring Ewa Sell-Kubiak, Gabriela Cieleń, and Dominika Kroplewska, has conducted an insightful study on Polish consumers' attitudes towards the taste, culinary properties, and willingness to pay for meat from higher welfare farms.
Key Findings:
• Consumers are increasingly aware of the importance of animal welfare.
• Despite higher costs, many are willing to pay more for products from higher welfare farms.
These findings are crucial for Polish farmers considering the use of extensive farming practices to enhance animal welfare.

March Newsletter Alert! 🚨
Stay updated with the latest developments in our project and access new tools and materials available in multiple languages:
• Extensive pig and poultry husbandry practices
• Consumer preferences when choosing meat
• Sustainability of pork and poultry meat production
• 2025 project events and activities

Subscribe at: www.meatquality.eu

We are pleased to announce that the Practical Abstracts of the mEATquality project are now available in Italian!
Siamo lieti di annunciare che gli materiali didattici del progetto mEATquality sono ora disponibili in italiano!

🌱🐖🐓These abstracts provide valuable insights and practical solutions for sustainable pork and broiler meat production, addressing societal demands, environmental concerns, and economic needs.

🌱 New Publication Alert! 🌱
Excited to share our latest joint publication, “Connecting the Fork to the Farm,” featured in REVOLVE magazine. This collaborative effort brings together insights from four EU projects: PATHWAYS, mEATquality, Code: Re-farm, and H2020 INTAQT.
Together, we are working towards building a sustainable food system in Europe. Our findings and research lines aim to create a more resilient, efficient, and environmentally friendly food production process.

Watch our exclusive interview with Álvaro Barrera, President of Asociación Ecovalia, as he discusses the sustainability of meat production and the mEATquality project.

By Daniel Jiménez Lorente, Noticias Positivas

The mEATquality Newsletter is now available! Learn about the project's development and access scientific and practical tools on extensive pig and poultry husbandry practices, meat quality, sustainability of pig and poultry farming, and consumer preferences when choosing meat.
Don't miss out! Check it here: https://lnkd.in/duGexv4d

The mEATquality Newsletter is now available! Learn about the project's development and access scientific and practical tools on extensive pig and poultry husbandry practices, meat quality, sustainability of pig and poultry farming, and consumer preferences when choosing meat.
Don't miss out! Check it here: https://lnkd.in/duGexv4d

Pig genetics is crucial in enhancing pork production’s sustainability and quality, tackling challenges like disease resistance and environmental impact. Discover how genetic selection can benefit your production system!
🔗 Learn more:

mEATquality project is proud to announce the launch of its first Practice Abstract focused on Environmental enrichment to improve pig welfare!
The abstract provides practical recommendations and on-farm application advice for the right type, amount, and frequency of renewal of environmental enrichment that can significantly improve pig welfare.